Teris longest and who had managed to
garner some information, had explained their operation to Ben.

"I worked on the new controls when they were being installed," he said,
ranging himself alongside Ben. "They're fully automatic. There are five
locks in each tube between the interior and the surface of Teris."

"How many ships did you say were kept at the tower?" Ben asked.

"About ten. They make inspection flights each day, although nothing has
ever gone wrong that I've heard of. But the tubes and the locks are the
only outlets to the surface and they watch them carefully."

"What are our chances of getting to the tower?"

"Zero, I should say. Only the women are allowed to enter it, or a small
crew under their supervision."

"Willing to make a try?" Ben asked. He swung around to face them all. Until
now he had not taken them into his confidence, given them no inkling of
what was in his mind.

"We've talked about it before," Murchison answered. "But there's so little
chance we gave up the idea. Better to stay alive and hope for a rescue."

"I can't tell you how I know," Ben told them, "but there isn't going to be
any rescue." He kept his eyes on the girl. "How about you, Sally? Willing
to trust me?"

She nodded and Ben heaved a sigh of relief. Rather than leave her behind he
would have stayed with her. Gathering them about him he outlined his plans.
The men were more than skeptical but no one had any suggestions.

* * * * *

Ben and Davies were the last to finish their work, and as they fastened the
last rivet to the last hinge Ben looked up and shook his head. To the giant
woman who stood watching him it seemed only that he was tired. She failed
to notice that Sally had drifted off to one side and was coming up behind
her.

Sally's foot suddenly caught the overseer just behind one knee and knocked
her off balance. At the same instant Ben stepped in close and wrenched the
violet ray cylinder from the woman's hand. The others screened them from
sight. Ben looked around and saw that the slight flurry of activity had
gone unnoticed by others of the giant women who were nearby.

"We're going to walk to the control tower," he told the woman grimly. "If
anyone asks you're to say we have to do some work there. I'm going to have
this ray gun trained on you under my robe, so don't try any tricks.
Understand?"

She understood all too well. A flicker of fear in her eyes told Ben that